Started as an intern they gave me great learning projects to be able to learn how to work in a company. After a year they kept me on as an employee and had me working on important engineering projects to help the company understand its revenue.

Cons

Never was given a team to work with. So everything had to be done on my own, which is fine. But the office here is very empty with people gone all the time and it does not make for a social atmosphere. Also was hard to for me to get mew projects once I finished some of mine.

Advice to Management

Figure out the internship program so that when you hire someone they are given a stronger role in the company.

Company was built on a good foundation. It has innovation and competition plus some good people culture in its DNA. The new CEO seems to have a good head on her shoulder

Cons

Company has gone through tough times, and some really bad decisions took out its memntum. As it stand, Ixia will continue to face challenges going forward, since growth and revenue is not where it should be. Management can be super political. Good leaders are hard to find here, but there are plenty of bosses and high ranking titles

Advice to Management

Start learning how to be good leaders; and that starts from the Executive staff. Get engaged with individual contributors to understand what really is going on in each function. Bring some true leaders on board and get get rid of the boss pleasing fake leaders.

Fun employee events and most employees are great people to work with most of the time.

Cons

C-level manager wants to be the fun guy but acts like a egotistical jerk to everyone that didn't come with him or dares to ask questions or make suggestions... routinely and publicly. Huge contributor to people leaving since the mass RIF last summer.

Advice to Management

Honest communication with employees without being condescending or belittling needs to be the norm for anyone in Estaff or mgmt. Employees "get it" that mgmt can't tell everything to everyone but ignoring questions, telling nothing of value, and making anyone with the guts to ask the hard questions regret asking doesn't send the message that mgmt has any interest in employee concerns. Give respect to get respect.

Have worked with great folks in a few sites that do work and play hard - like what they do, share well, open. Most managers seem to really want to work hard and share the success. Pay is good. Relaxed environment. New CEO in late 2014 looks good and will see what shapes up. Communication has gotten better. Some nice benefits in lunch perks, free soda's but many other companies are doing more perks in hi-tech.

Cons

2014 was a mess of a year for the company. One CEO ousted, interim CEO and then new CEO. Layoffs summer of 2014. Losing good folks to other hi-tech opportunities over past months. We are in a interesting niche field but many others looking to get in and play. 2015 will be a make or break year so I would wait a year to see how things go. Some reviews here mention negative reviews by folks that have been laid off but those that I knew that were laid off got good new jobs and are happy where they are now.

Mostly positive work environment where you could talk to management and they would try their best to help you with your goals and career objectives. A lot of free snacks and decent benefits.

Cons

Long hours. Low morale due to layoffs.

Advice to Management

Better strategic planning. LISTEN to the employees - while some of the feedback may just be gripes or requests that are not feasible given the current status of the business, there are a lot of smart people with plenty of good ideas that could help the company succeed.

Bright people; reasonable compensation; The CEO has engineering background so they take care of engineering

Cons

Bad decisions at top. Everyone is expected to be a workaholic. It is difficult to have a life while working at this company. Integration of the multiple cultures between the acquisitions is not working well.

Can be stressful at times. Management top heavy. Seems like a lot of the good talent eventually leaves. Some departments have no idea what "TEAM" means. This used to really be the place to work a few years ago